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ShiaShia (/ˈʃiːə/; Arabic: شيعة‎ Shīʿah, from Shīʻatu
ʻAlī, "followers of Ali") is a branch of
IslamIslam which holds that the
Islamic prophet
MuhammadMuhammad designated
AliAli ibn Abi Talib as his successor
(Imam).[1]
ShiaShiaIslamIslam primarily contrasts with
SunniSunni Islam, whose
adherents believe that
MuhammadMuhammad did not appoint a successor and
consider
Abu BakrAbu Bakr (who was appointed
CaliphCaliph through a Shura, i.e.
community consensus) to be the correct first Caliph.[2] Unlike the
first three
RashidunRashidun caliphs,
AliAli was from the same clan as Muhammad,
Banu Hashim.[3]
Adherents of
ShiaShiaIslamIslam are called Shias of Ali, Shias or the Shi'a as
a collective or Shi'i individually.[4]
ShiaShiaIslamIslam is the second
largest branch of Islam: in 2009,
ShiaShia Muslims constituted 10–13% of
the world's
MuslimMuslim population.[5]
TwelverTwelverShiaShia (Ithnā'ashariyyah) is
the largest branch of
ShiaShia Islam,[6] with 2012 estimates saying that
85% of Shias were Twelvers.[7]
ShiaShiaIslamIslam is based on the
QuranQuran and the message of
MuhammadMuhammad attested
in hadith, and on hadith taught by their Imams.[8][9]
ShiaShia consider
AliAli to have been divinely appointed as the successor to Muhammad, and
as the first Imam. The
ShiaShia also extend this Imammah doctrine to
Muhammad's family, the
Ahl al-BaytAhl al-Bayt ("the people/family of the
House"[10]), and some individuals among his descendants, known as
Imams, who they believe possess special spiritual and political
authority over the community, infallibility and other divinely
ordained traits.[11] Although there are many
ShiaShia subsects, modern
ShiaShiaIslamIslam has been divided into three main groupings: Twelvers,
Ismailis and Zaidis, with
TwelverTwelverShiaShia being the largest and most
influential group among Shia.[12][13][14]

Etymology[edit]
Main article:
ShiaShia etymology
The word
ShiaShia (Arabic: شيعة‎ shīʻah /ˈʃiːʕa/) means
follower[15] and is the short form of the historic phrase shīʻatu
ʻAlī (شيعة علي /ˈʃiːʕatu ˈʕaliː/), meaning "followers
of Ali", "faction of Ali", or "party of Ali".[16] Shi'a and Shiism are
forms used in English, while Shi'ite or Shiite, as well as Shia, refer
to its adherents.
Terminology[edit]
The term for the first time was used at the time of Muhammad.[17] At
present, the word refers to the Muslims who believe that the
leadership of the community after
MuhammadMuhammad belongs to
AliAli and his
successors. Nawbakhti states that the term
ShiaShia refers to a group of
Muslims that at the time of
MuhammadMuhammad and after him regarded
AliAli as the
ImamImam and Caliph.[18]
Al-Shahrastani expresses that the term Shia
refers to those who believe that
AliAli is designated as the Heir, Imam
and caliph by Muhammad[19] and also Ali's authority never goes out of
his descendants.[20] For the Shia, this conviction is implicit in the
QuranQuran and history of Islam.
ShiaShia scholars emphasize that the notion of
authority is linked to the family of the prophets as the verses
3:33,34 shows: "Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of
Abraham and the family of 'Imran over the worlds – (33) Descendants,
some of them from others. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (34)"[21]
ShiaShia search for the true meaning of the revelation to get the purpose
of the life blood and the human destiny.[22]
Beliefs[edit]
Main article:
ShiaShia Islamic beliefs and practices
Imamate[edit]
Succession of Ali[edit]
Main articles:
Shia view of AliShia view of Ali and Succession to Muhammad
ShiaShia Muslims believe that just as a prophet is appointed by
GodGod alone,
only
GodGod has the prerogative to appoint the successor to his prophet.
They believe
GodGod chose
AliAli to be Muhammad's successor, infallible, the
first caliph (khalifa, head of state) of Islam. The Shias believe that
MuhammadMuhammad designated
AliAli as his successor by God's command (Eid Al
Ghadir).[23][24]
AliAli was Muhammad's first-cousin and closest living male relative as
well as his son-in-law, having married Muhammad's daughter
Fatimah.[25][26]
There are multiple occasions on which
MuhammadMuhammad announced that Ali
would be his successor.
The event of Dhul Asheera[edit]
Main article:
HadithHadith of Warning
MuhammadMuhammad invited people to
IslamIslam in secret for three years before he
started inviting them publicly. In the fourth year of Islam, when
MuhammadMuhammad was commanded to invite his closer relatives to come to
Islam[27] he gathered the
Banu HashimBanu Hashim clan in a ceremony. At the
banquet, he was about to invite them to
IslamIslam when Abu Lahab
interrupted him, after which everyone left the banquet. The Prophet
ordered
AliAli to invite the 40 people again. The second time, Muhammad
announced
IslamIslam to them and invited them to join.[28] He said to them,

I offer thanks to Allah for His mercies. I praise Allah, and I seek
His guidance. I believe in Him and I put my trust in Him. I bear
witness that there is no god except Allah; He has no partners; and I
am His messenger. Allah has commanded me to invite you to His religion
by saying: And warn thy nearest kinsfolk. I, therefore, warn you, and
call upon you to testify that there is no god but Allah, and that I am
His messenger. O ye sons of Abdul Muttalib, no one ever came to you
before with anything better than what I have brought to you. By
accepting it, your welfare will be assured in this world and in the
Hereafter. Who among you will support me in carrying out this
momentous duty? Who will share the burden of this work with me? Who
will respond to my call? Who will become my vicegerent, my deputy and
my wazir?[29]

AliAli was the only one to answer Muhammad's call.
MuhammadMuhammad told him to
sit down, saying, "Wait! Perhaps someone older than you might respond
to my call."
MuhammadMuhammad then asked the members of
Banu HashimBanu Hashim a second
time. Once again,
AliAli was the only one to respond, and again, Muhammad
told him to wait.
MuhammadMuhammad then asked the members of
Banu HashimBanu Hashim a
third time.
AliAli was still the only volunteer. This time, Ali's offer
was accepted by Muhammad.
MuhammadMuhammad "drew [Ali] close, pressed him to
his heart, and said to the assembly: 'This is my wazir, my successor
and my vicegerent. Listen to him and obey his commands.'"[30] In
another narration, when
MuhammadMuhammad accepted Ali's eager offer, Muhammad
"threw up his arms around the generous youth, and pressed him to his
bosom" and said, "Behold my brother, my vizir, my vicegerent...Let all
listen to his words, and obey him."[31] Sir Richard Burton writes
about the banquet in his 1898 book, saying, "It won for [Muhammad] a
proselyte worth a thousand sabers in the person of Ali, son of Abu
Talib."[32]
The event of Ghadir Khumm[edit]
Main article: The event of Ghadir Khumm
The event of Ghadir KhummThe event of Ghadir Khumm is an event that took place in March 632.
While returning from the
HajjHajj pilgrimage, the Islamic prophet Muhammad
gathered all the Muslims who were with him and gave a long sermon.
This sermon included Muhammad's declaration that "to whomsoever I am
Mawla,
AliAli is also their Mawla." After the sermon,
MuhammadMuhammad instructed
everyone to pledge allegiance to Ali.
ShiaShia Muslims believe this event
to be the official appointment of
AliAli as Muhammad's successor.[33]
A portion of the sermon
MuhammadMuhammad delivered is as follows:

Oh people! Reflect on the
QuranQuran and comprehend its verses. Look into
its clear verses and do not follow its ambiguous parts, for by Allah,
none shall be able to explain to you its warnings and its mysteries,
nor shall anyone clarify its interpretation, other than the one that I
have grasped his hand, brought up beside myself, [and lifted his arm,]
the one about whom I inform you that whomever I am his master
(Mawla[a]), then
AliAli is his master (Mawla); and he is
AliAli Ibn Abi
Talib, my brother, the executor of my will (Wasiyyi), whose
appointment as your guardian and leader has been sent down to me from
Allah, the mighty and the majestic.
— Muhammad, from The Farewell Sermon[36]

^ The word mawla has many meanings in Arabic; however, Shias argue
that the context of the sermon makes the meaning of "mawla" as
"leader" in this context clear.[34] Further, "mawla" was not the only
word that
MuhammadMuhammad used in this sermon to describe Ali; he also used
the words "wali," "Imam," and "khalifa." All of this together cements
the leadership of
AliAli as described in the sermon delivered by
Muhammad. Further, according to Shias, the combination of these words
proves that Ali's leadership, as described by
MuhammadMuhammad in this sermon,
is both a religious leadership as well as a political leadership, as
the meanings of these words indicate.[35]

After the conclusion of Muhammad's sermon, the Muslims were commanded
to pledge their allegiance to Ali.
UmarUmar was reportedly the first to
give the oath of allegiance to Ali.
ShiaShia Muslims believe this to be Muhammad's appointment of
AliAli as his
successor.
Ali's caliphate[edit]

I am the servant of
GodGod and the brother of the Messenger of God. I am
thus more worthy of this office than you. I shall not give allegiance
to you [
Abu BakrAbu Bakr & Umar] when it is more proper for you to give
bay’ah to me. You have seized this office from the Ansar using your
tribal relationship to the Prophet as an argument against them. Would
you then seize this office from us, the ahl al-bayt by force? Did you
not claim before the Ansar that you were more worthy than they of the
caliphate because
MuhammadMuhammad came from among you (but
MuhammadMuhammad was never
from AbuBakr family) – and thus they gave you leadership and
surrendered command? I now contend against you with the same
argument…It is we who are more worthy of the Messenger of God,
living or dead. Give us our due right if you truly have faith in God,
or else bear the charge of wilfully doing wrong... Umar, I will not
yield to your commands: I shall not pledge loyalty to him.' Ultimately
Abu BakrAbu Bakr said, "O 'Ali! If you do not desire to give your bay'ah, I am
not going to force you for the same.

Ali's wife, and daughter of Muhammad, Fatimah, refused to pledge
allegiance to
Abu BakrAbu Bakr and remained angry with him until she died due
to the issues of
FadakFadak and her inheritance from her father and the
situation of
UmarUmar at Fatimah's house. This is stated in sahih Sunni
Hadith,
Sahih BukhariSahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
FatimahFatimah did not at all pledge
allegiance or acknowledge or accept the caliphate of Abu Bakr.[37]
Almost all of Banu Hashim, Muhammad's clan and many of the sahaba, had
supported Ali's cause after the demise of the prophet whilst others
supported Abu Bakr.[38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46]
It was not until the murder of the third caliph, Uthman, in 657 CE
that the Muslims in
MedinaMedina in desperation invited
AliAli to become the
fourth caliph as the last source,[25] and he established his capital
in Kufah in present-day Iraq.[16]
Ali's rule over the early
MuslimMuslim community was often contested, and
wars were waged against him. As a result, he had to struggle to
maintain his power against the groups who betrayed him after giving
allegiance to his succession, or those who wished to take his
position. This dispute eventually led to the First Fitna, which was
the first major civil war within the Islamic Caliphate. The Fitna
began as a series of revolts fought against
AliAli ibn Abi Talib, caused
by the assassination of his political predecessor,
UthmanUthman ibn Affan.
While the rebels who accused
UthmanUthman of prejudice[clarification needed]
affirmed Ali's khilafa (caliph-hood), they later turned against him
and fought him.[25]
AliAli ruled from 656 CE to 661 CE,[25] when he was
assassinated[26] while prostrating in prayer (sujud). Ali's main rival
Muawiyah then claimed the caliphate.[47]
Hasan ibn Ali[edit]
Main article: Hasan ibn Ali
Upon the death of Ali, his elder son Hasan became leader of the
Muslims of Kufa, and after a series of skirmishes between the Kufa
Muslims and the army of Muawiyah, Hasan agreed to cede the caliphate
to Muawiyah and maintain peace among Muslims upon certain
conditions:[48][49]

The enforced public cursing of Ali, e.g. during prayers, should be
abandoned
Muawiyah should not use tax money for his own private needs
There should be peace, and followers of Hasan should be given security
and their rights
Muawiyah will never adopt the title of Amir al-Mu'minin
Muawiyah will not nominate any successor

Hasan then retired to Medina, where in 670 CE he was poisoned by his
wife Ja'da bint al-Ash'ath ibn Qays, after being secretly contacted by
Muawiyah who wished to pass the caliphate to his own son Yazid and saw
Hasan as an obstacle.
Husayn[edit]
Main article: Husayn ibn Ali

The
ImamImam Hussein Shrine in Karbala,
IraqIraq is a holy site for Shia
Muslims.

Battle of Karbala, Brooklyn Museum

Husayn, Ali's younger son and brother to Hasan, initially resisted
calls to lead the Muslims against Muawiyah and reclaim the caliphate.
In 680 CE, Muawiyah died and passed the caliphate to his son Yazid,
and breaking the treaty with Hasan ibn Ali. Yazid asked Husayn to
swear allegiance (bay'ah) to him. Ali's faction, having expected the
caliphate to return to Ali's line upon Muawiyah's death, saw this as a
betrayal of the peace treaty and so Husayn rejected this request for
allegiance. There was a groundswell of support in
KufaKufa for Husayn to
return there and take his position as caliph and imam, so Husayn
collected his family and followers in
MedinaMedina and set off for Kufa. En
route to Kufa, he was blocked by an army of Yazid's men (which
included people from Kufa) near
KarbalaKarbala (modern Iraq), and Husayn and
approximately 72 of his family and followers were killed in the Battle
of Karbala.
The Shias regard Husayn as a martyr (shahid), and count him as an Imam
from the Ahl al-Bayt. They view Husayn as the defender of
IslamIslam from
annihilation at the hands of Yazid I. Husayn is the last imam
following
AliAli whom all Shiah sub-branches mutually recognize.[50] The
Battle of KarbalaBattle of Karbala is often cited as the definitive break between the
Shiah and
SunniSunni sects of Islam, and is commemorated each year by Shiah
Muslims on the Day of Ashura.
ImamateImamate of the Ahl al-Bayt[edit]
Main article:
ImamahImamah (
ShiaShia doctrine)

ZulfiqarZulfiqar with and without the shield. The
FatimidFatimid depiction of Ali's
sword as carved on the Gates of Old Cairo, namely Bab al-Nasr shown
below. Two swords were captured from the temple of the pagan
polytheist god
Manāt during the Raid of Sa'd ibn Zaid al-Ashhali.
MuhammadMuhammad gave them to Ali, saying that one of them was Zulfiqar, which
became the famous sword of
AliAli and a later symbol of Shiism.[51]

Ali's Sword and shield depiction at Bab al Nasr gate wall, Cairo

Most of the early
ShiaShia differed only marginally from mainstream Sunnis
in their views on political leadership, but it is possible in this
sect to see a refinement of
ShiaShia doctrine. Early Sunnis traditionally
held that the political leader must come from the tribe of
Muhammad—namely, the Quraysh tribe. The
ZaydisZaydis narrowed the
political claims of Ali's supporters, claiming that not just any
descendant of
AliAli would be eligible to lead the
MuslimMuslim community
(ummah) but only those males directly descended from
MuhammadMuhammad through
the union of
AliAli and Fatimah. But during the Abbasid revolts, other
Shia, who came to be known as Imamiyyah (followers of the Imams),
followed the theological school of
ImamImam Ja'far al-Sadiq, himself the
great great grandson of Muhammad's son-in-law
ImamImam Ali. They asserted
a more exalted religious role for Imams and insisted that, at any
given time, whether in power or not, a single male descendant of Ali
and
FatimahFatimah was the divinely appointed
ImamImam and the sole authority, in
his time, on all matters of faith and law. To those Shia, love of the
Imams and of their persecuted cause became as important as belief in
God's oneness and the mission of Muhammad.[citation needed]
Later most of the Shia, including
TwelverTwelver and Ismaili, became Imamis.
Imami
ShiaShia believe that Imams are the spiritual and political
successors to Muhammad.[citation needed] Imams are human individuals
who not only rule over the community with justice, but also are able
to keep and interpret the divine law and its esoteric meaning. The
words and deeds of
MuhammadMuhammad and the imams are a guide and model for
the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error and
sin, and must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, through
Muhammad.[52][53]
According to this view, there is always an
ImamImam of the Age, who is the
divinely appointed authority on all matters of faith and law in the
MuslimMuslim community.
AliAli was the first imam of this line, the rightful
successor to Muhammad, followed by male descendants of Muhammad
through his daughter Fatimah.[citation needed]
This difference between following either the
Ahl al-BaytAhl al-Bayt (Muhammad's
family and descendants) or
CaliphCaliphAbu BakrAbu Bakr has shaped
ShiaShia and
non-
ShiaShia views on some of the Quranic verses, the hadith (narrations
from Muhammad) and other areas of Islam. For instance, the collection
of hadith venerated by
ShiaShia Muslims is centered on narrations by
members of the
Ahl al-BaytAhl al-Bayt and their supporters, while some hadith by
narrators not belonging to or supporting the
Ahl al-BaytAhl al-Bayt are not
included. Those of Abu Hurairah, for example, Ibn Asakir in his
Ta'rikh Kabir and Muttaqi in his Kanzu'l-Umma report that
CaliphCaliph Umar
lashed him, rebuked him and forbade him to narrate hadith from
Muhammad.
UmarUmar said: "Because you narrate hadith in large numbers from
the Holy Prophet, you are fit only for attributing lies to him. (That
is, one expects a wicked man like you to utter only lies about the
Holy Prophet.) So you must stop narrating hadith from the Prophet;
otherwise, I will send you to the land of Dus." (A clan in Yemen, to
which Abu Huraira belonged.) According to Sunnis,
AliAli was the fourth
successor to Abu Bakr, while the
ShiaShia maintain that
AliAli was the first
divinely sanctioned "Imam", or successor of Muhammad. The seminal
event in
ShiaShia history is the martyrdom in 680 CE at the Battle of
KarbalaKarbala of Ali's son Hussein ibn Ali, who led a non-allegiance
movement against the defiant caliph (71 of Hussein's followers were
killed as well). Hussein came to symbolize resistance to tyranny.
It is believed in
TwelverTwelver and
IsmailiIsmailiShiaShiaIslamIslam that 'aql, divine
wisdom, was the source of the souls of the prophets and imams and gave
them esoteric knowledge called ḥikmah and that their sufferings were
a means of divine grace to their devotees.[54][55] Although the imam
was not the recipient of a divine revelation, he had a close
relationship with God, through which
GodGod guides him, and the imam, in
turn, guides the people. Imamate, or belief in the divine guide, is a
fundamental belief in the
TwelverTwelver and
IsmailiIsmailiShiaShia branches and is
based on the concept that
GodGod would not leave humanity without access
to divine guidance.[56]
ImamImam of the time, last
ImamImam of the Shia[edit]
The
MahdiMahdi is the prophesied redeemer of
IslamIslam who will rule for seven,
nine or nineteen years (according to differing interpretations) before
the
Day of JudgmentDay of Judgment and will rid the world of evil. According to
Islamic tradition, the Mahdi's tenure will coincide with the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ (Isa), who is to assist the
MahdiMahdi against the
Masih ad-DajjalMasih ad-Dajjal (literally, the "false Messiah" or Antichrist). Jesus,
who is considered the Masih (Messiah) in Islam, will descend at the
point of a white arcade, east of Damascus, dressed in yellow robes
with his head anointed. He will then join the
MahdiMahdi in his war against
the Dajjal, where Jesus will slay Dajjal and unite mankind.
Theology[edit]
The
ShiaShia Islamic faith is vast and inclusive of many different
groups.[16]
ShiaShia theological beliefs and religious practises, such as
prayers, slightly differ from the Sunnis'. While all Muslims pray five
times daily, Shias have the option of combining
DhuhrDhuhr with
AsrAsr and
MaghribMaghrib with Isha', as there are three distinct times mentioned in the
Quran. The Sunnis tend to combine only under certain
circumstances.[57][58]
ShiaShiaIslamIslam embodies a completely independent
system of religious interpretation and political authority in the
MuslimMuslim world.[59][60] The original
ShiaShia identity referred to the
followers of
ImamImam Ali,[61] and
ShiaShia theology was formulated in the 2nd
century AH, or after Hijra (8th century CE).[62] The first Shia
governments and societies were established by the end of the 3rd
century AH/9th century CE. The 4th century AH /10th century CE has
been referred to by
Louis MassignonLouis Massignon as "the Shiite
IsmailiIsmaili century in
the history of Islam".[63]
Hadith[edit]
The
ShiaShia believe that the status of
AliAli is supported by numerous
hadith, including the
HadithHadith of the pond of Khumm,
HadithHadith of the two
weighty things,
HadithHadith of the pen and paper,
HadithHadith of the invitation
of the close families, and
HadithHadith of the Twelve Successors. In
particular, the
HadithHadith of the Cloak is often quoted to illustrate
Muhammad's feeling towards
AliAli and his family by both
SunniSunni and Shia
scholars. Shias prefer hadith attributed to the
Ahl al-BaytAhl al-Bayt and close
associates, and have their own separate collection of hadiths.[64][65]
Profession of faith[edit]

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The
ShiaShia version of the Shahada, the Islamic profession of faith,
differs from that of the Sunni. The
SunniSunniShahadaShahada states There is no
god except Allah,
MuhammadMuhammad is the messenger of Allah, but to this the
ShiaShia append
AliAli is the
WaliWali (custodian) of God, علي ولي
الله. This phrase embodies the
ShiaShia emphasis on the inheritance of
authority through Muhammad's lineage. The three clauses of the Shia
ShahadaShahada thus address tawhid (the unity of God), nubuwwah (the
prophethood of Muhammad), and imamah (imamate, the leadership of the
faith).
Infallibility[edit]

Main article: Ismah
IsmahIsmah is the concept of infallibility or "divinely bestowed freedom
from error and sin" in Islam.[66] Muslims believe that
MuhammadMuhammad and
other prophets in
IslamIslam possessed ismah.
TwelverTwelver and
IsmailiIsmaili Shia
Muslims also attribute the quality to Imams as well as to Fatimah,
daughter of Muhammad, in contrast to the Zaidi, who do not attribute
'ismah to the Imams.[67] Though initially beginning as a political
movement, infallibility and sinlessness of the imams later evolved as
a distinct belief of (non-Zaidi) Shiism.[citation needed]
According to
ShiaShia theologians, infallibility is considered a rational
necessary precondition for spiritual and religious guidance. They
argue that since
GodGod has commanded absolute obedience from these
figures they must only order that which is right. The state of
infallibility is based on the
ShiaShia interpretation of the verse of
purification.[68][69] Thus, they are the most pure ones, the only
immaculate ones preserved from, and immune to, all uncleanness.[70] It
does not mean that supernatural powers prevent them from committing a
sin, but due to the fact that they have absolute belief in God, they
refrain from doing anything that is a sin.[71]
They also have a complete knowledge of God's will. They are in
possession of all knowledge brought by the angels to the prophets
(nabi) and the messengers (rasul). Their knowledge encompasses the
totality of all times. They thus act without fault in religious
matters.[72] Shias regard
AliAli as the successor of
MuhammadMuhammad not only
ruling over the community in justice, but also interpreting Islamic
practices and its esoteric meaning. Hence he was regarded as being
free from error and sin (infallible), and appointed by
GodGod by divine
decree (nass) to be the first Imam.[73]
AliAli is known as "perfect man"
(al-insan al-kamil) similar to Muhammad, according to Shia
viewpoint.[74]
Occultation[edit]
Main article: The Occultation
The OccultationThe Occultation is a belief in some forms of
ShiaShiaIslamIslam that a
messianic figure, a hidden imam known as the Mahdi, will one day
return and fill the world with justice. According to the
TwelverTwelver Shia,
the main goal of the
MahdiMahdi will be to establish an Islamic state and
to apply Islamic laws that were revealed to Muhammad.[75]
Some Shia, such as the Zaidi and
NizariNizari Ismaili, do not believe in the
idea of the Occultation. The groups which do believe in it differ as
to which lineage of the
ImamateImamate is valid, and therefore which
individual has gone into occultation. They believe there are many
signs that will indicate the time of his return.
TwelverTwelverShiaShia Muslims believe that the
MahdiMahdi (the twelfth imam,
MuhammadMuhammad al-Mahdi) is already on Earth, is in occultation and will
return at the end of time. Fatimid/ Bohra/
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra believe the
same but for their 21st Tayyib, whereas Sunnis believe the future
MahdiMahdi has not yet arrived on Earth.[76]
History[edit]
Main article: History of
ShiaShia Islam

GhazanGhazan and his brother
ÖljaitüÖljaitü both were tolerant of sectarian
differences within the boundaries of Islam, in contrast to the
traditions of Genghis Khan.

Historians dispute the origin of
ShiaShia Islam, with many Western
scholars positing that Shiism began as a political faction rather than
a truly religious movement.[77][78] Other scholars disagree,
considering this concept of religious-political separation to be an
anachronistic application of a Western concept.[79]
Following the
Battle of KarbalaBattle of Karbala (680 AD), as various Shia-affiliated
groups diffused in the emerging Islamic world, several nations arose
based on a
ShiaShia leadership or population.

Idrisids (788 to 985 CE): a Zaydi dynasty in what is now Morocco
Uqaylids (990 to 1096 CE): a
ShiaShiaArabArab dynasty with several lines that
ruled in various parts of Al-Jazira, northern Syria and Iraq.
Buyids (934–1055 CE): at its peak consisted of large portions of
modern
IraqIraq and Iran.
IlkhanateIlkhanate (1256–1335): a
MongolMongol khanate established in
PersiaPersia in the
13th century, considered a part of the
MongolMongol Empire. The Ilkhanate
was based, originally, on Genghis Khan's campaigns in the Khwarezmid
Empire in 1219–1224, and founded by Genghis's grandson, Hulagu, in
territories which today comprise most of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Turkmenistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Pakistan. The
IlkhanateIlkhanate initially embraced many religions, but was particularly
sympathetic to
BuddhismBuddhism and Christianity. Later
IlkhanateIlkhanate rulers,
beginning with
GhazanGhazan in 1295, embraced
IslamIslam his brother Öljaitü
promoted
ShiaShia Islam.[clarification needed]
Naubat KhanNaubat Khan accepted
IslamIslam under the Guidance of Mughal General Bairam
Khan's son Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana.
Bahmanis (1347–1527 CE): a
ShiaShiaMuslimMuslim state of the Deccan in
southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms.[80]
Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic Kingdom in South
India.[81]

Fatimids (909–1171 CE): Controlled much of North Africa, the Levant,
parts of Arabia and
MeccaMecca and Medina. The group takes its name from
Fatima, Muhammad's daughter, from whom they claim descent.
In 909 CE the Shiite military leader Abu Abdallah, overthrew the Sunni
ruler in Northern Africa; which began the
FatimidFatimid regime.[82]

Safavids[edit]
Main articles: Safavid dynasty, Safavid conversion of Iran to Shia
Islam, and Ideology of Safavids

A major turning point in
ShiaShia history was the Safavid dynasty
(1501–1736) in Persia. This caused a number of changes in the Muslim
world:

The ending of the relative mutual tolerance between Sunnis and Shias
that existed from the time of the
MongolMongol conquests onwards and the
resurgence of antagonism between the two groups.
Initial dependence of Shiite clerics on the state followed by the
emergence of an independent body of ulama capable of taking a
political stand different from official policies.[85]
The growth in importance of Iranian centers of religious learning and
change from
TwelverTwelver Shiism being a predominantly
ArabArab phenomenon.[86]
The growth of the
AkhbariAkhbari School which preached that only the Quran,
hadith are to be bases for verdicts, rejecting the use of reasoning.

With the fall of the Safavids, the state in
PersiaPersia – including the
state system of courts with government-appointed judges (qadis) –
became much weaker. This gave the
ShariaSharia courts of mujtahids an
opportunity to fill the legal vacuum and enabled the ulama to assert
their judicial authority. The
UsuliUsuli School also increased in strength
at this time.[87]

The declaration of Shiism as the state religion of the Safavid dynasty
in Persia.

Monument commemorating the Battle of Chaldiran, where more than 7000
Muslims of
ShiaShia and
SunniSunni sects were killed in battle.

Battle of Chaldiran, was a major sectarian crisis in the Middle East.

Community[edit]
Demographics[edit]
Main article: List of countries by
MuslimMuslim population

According to
ShiaShia Muslims, one of the lingering problems in estimating
ShiaShia population is that unless
ShiaShia form a significant minority in a
MuslimMuslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. The
reverse, however, has not held true, which may contribute to imprecise
estimates of the size of each sect. For example, the 1926 rise of the
House of SaudHouse of Saud in Arabia brought official discrimination against
Shia.[88] Shiites are estimated to be 21–35% of the Muslim
population in South Asia, although the total number is difficult to
estimate due to that reason.[89] It is variously estimated that
10–20%[90][91][92][93] of the world's Muslims are Shia. They may
number up to 200 million as of 2009.[92]
The
ShiaShia majority countries are Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and
Bahrain.[94][95] They also form the plurality (the largest group, but
not the majority) in Lebanon. Shias constitute 36.3% of entire local
population and 38.6% of the local
MuslimMuslim population of the Middle
East.[96]
ShiaShia Muslims constitute 27-35% of the population in Lebanon, and as
per some estimates from 35%[94][97] to over 35–40% of the population
in Yemen,[98] 30%–35% of the citizen population in Kuwait (no
figures exist for the non-citizen population),[99][100] over 20% in
Turkey,[92][101] 5–20% of the population in Pakistan,[102][92] and
10–19% of Afghanistan's population.[103][104]
Saudi Arabia hosts a number of distinct
ShiaShia communities, including
the
TwelverTwelver Baharna in the Eastern Province and
Nakhawila of Medina,
and the
IsmailiIsmailiSulaymaniSulaymani and
ZaidiyyahZaidiyyah of Najran. Estimations put the
number of Shiite citizens at 2–4 million, accounting for roughly 15%
of the local population.[105][better source needed]
Significant
ShiaShia communities exist in the coastal regions of West
Sumatra and
AcehAceh in Indonesia (see Tabuik).[106] The
ShiaShia presence is
negligible elsewhere in Southeast Asia, where Muslims are
predominantly
Shafi'iShafi'i Sunnis.
A significant
ShiaShia minority is present in Nigeria, made up of
modern-era converts to a
ShiaShia movement centered around Kano and Sokoto
states.[92][93][107] Several African countries like Kenya,[108] South
Africa,[109] Somalia,[110] etc. hold small minority populations of
various
ShiaShia denominations, primarily descendants of immigrants from
South AsiaSouth Asia during the colonial period, such as the Khoja.[111]
List of Nations for which the
ShiaShia population may be estimated[edit]

Persecution[edit]
Main articles:
Anti-ShiismAnti-Shiism and Shia–
SunniSunni relations
The history of Sunni-
ShiaShia relations has often involved violence,
dating back to the earliest development of the two competing sects. At
various times
ShiaShia groups have faced
persecution.[128][129][130][131][132][133]
Militarily established and holding control over the Umayyad
government, many
SunniSunni rulers perceived the
ShiaShia as a threat –
to both their political and their religious authority.[134] The Sunni
rulers under the Umayyads sought to marginalize the
ShiaShia minority, and
later the Abbasids turned on their
ShiaShia allies and imprisoned,
persecuted, and killed them. The persecution of the
ShiaShia throughout
history by
SunniSunni co-religionists has often been characterized by
brutal and genocidal acts. Comprising only about 10–15% of the
entire
MuslimMuslim population, the
ShiaShia remain a marginalized community to
this day in many
SunniSunniArabArab dominant countries without the rights to
practice their religion and organize.[135]
In 1514 the Ottoman sultan, Selim I, ordered the massacre of 40,000
Anatolian Shia.[136] According to Jalal Al-e-Ahmad, "
SultanSultan Selim I
carried things so far that he announced that the killing of one Shiite
had as much otherworldly reward as killing 70 Christians."[137]
In 1801 the Al Saud-
WahhabiWahhabi armies attacked and sacked Karbala, the
ShiaShia shrine in eastern
IraqIraq that commemorates the death of
Husayn.[138]
Under Saddam Hussein's regime, 1968 to 2003, in Iraq,
ShiaShia Muslims
were heavily arrested, tortured and killed.[139]
In March 2011, the Malaysian government declared the
ShiaShia a "deviant"
sect and banned them from promoting their faith to other Muslims, but
left them free to practice it themselves privately.[140][141]
Holidays[edit]
Main article:
ShiaShia days of remembrance
Shia, celebrate the following annual holidays:

Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of fasting during the month of
Ramadan
Eid al-Adha, which marks the end of the
HajjHajj or pilgrimage to Mecca

The following days are some of the most important holidays observed by
ShiaShia Muslims:

Eid al-Ghadeer, which is the anniversary of the Ghadir Khum, the
occasion when
MuhammadMuhammad announced Ali's
ImamateImamate before a multitude of
Muslims.[142]
Eid al-GhadeerEid al-Ghadeer is held on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah.
The
Mourning of MuharramMourning of Muharram and the Day of
AshuraAshura for
ShiaShia commemorates
Husayn ibn Ali's martyrdom. Husayn was a grandson of
MuhammadMuhammad who was
killed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah. Ashurah is a day of deep mourning which
occurs on the 10th of Muharram.
Arba'eenArba'een commemorates the suffering of the women and children of
Husayn ibn Ali's household. After Husayn was killed, they were marched
over the desert, from
KarbalaKarbala (central Iraq) to Shaam (Damascus,
Syria). Many children (some of whom were direct descendants of
Muhammad) died of thirst and exposure along the route. Arbaein occurs
on the 20th of Safar, 40 days after Ashurah.
Mawlid, Muhammad's birth date. Unlike
SunniSunni Muslims, who celebrate the
12th of
Rabi' al-awwalRabi' al-awwal as Muhammad's birthday or deathday (because
they assert that his birth and death both occur in this week), Shia
Muslims celebrate Muhammad's birthday on the 17th of the month, which
coincides with the birth date of the sixth imam, Ja'far
al-Saadiq.[143] Wahhabis do not celebrate Muhammad's birthday,
believing that such celebrations constitute a bid‘ah.[144]
Fatimah's birthday on 20th of Jumada al-Thani. This day is also
considered as the "'women and mothers' day".[citation needed]
Ali's birthday on 13th of Rajab.
Mid-Sha'banMid-Sha'ban is the birth date of the 12th and final
TwelverTwelver imam,
MuhammadMuhammad al-Mahdi. It is celebrated by
ShiaShia Muslims on the 15th of
Sha'aban.
Laylat al-Qadr, anniversary of the night of the revelation of the
Quran.
Eid al-MubahilaEid al-Mubahila celebrates a meeting between the Ahl al-Bayt
(household of Muhammad) and a Christian deputation from Najran.
Al-Mubahila is held on the 24th of Dhu al-Hijjah.

Holy sites[edit]
Main article: Holiest sites in
IslamIslam (Shia)
The four holiest sites to Muslims are
MeccaMecca (Al-Haram Mosque), Medina
(Al-Nabbawi Mosque), Jerusalem (Al-Aqsa Mosque), and
KufaKufa (Kufa
Mosque). In addition for Shias, the
ImamImam Husayn Shrine, Al Abbas
MosqueMosque in Karbala, and
ImamImamAliAliMosqueMosque in
NajafNajaf are also highly
revered.
Other venerated sites include
Wadi-us-SalaamWadi-us-Salaam cemetery in Najaf,
Al-Baqi'Al-Baqi' cemetery in Medina,
ImamImam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Kadhimiya
MosqueMosque in Kadhimiya, Al-Askari
MosqueMosque in Samarra, Sahla
MosqueMosque and
Great
MosqueMosque of
KufaKufa in
KufaKufa and several other sites in the cities of
Qom,
SusaSusa and Damascus.
Most of the
ShiaShia holy places in Saudi Arabia have been destroyed by
the warriors of the Ikhwan, the most notable being the tombs of the
Imams in the
Al-Baqi'Al-Baqi' cemetery in 1925.[145] In 2006, a bomb destroyed
the shrine of Al-Askari Mosque.[146]
Branches[edit]
The
ShiaShia belief throughout its history split over the issue of the
Imamate. The largest branch are the Twelvers, followed by the Zaidi
and Ismaili. All three groups follow a different line of Imamate.

Twelver[edit]
Main article: Twelver
TwelverTwelverShiaShia or the Ithnā'ashariyyah' is the largest branch of Shia
Islam, and the term
ShiaShiaMuslimMuslim often refers to the
TwelversTwelvers by
default. The term
TwelverTwelver is derived from the doctrine of believing in
twelve divinely ordained leaders, known as The Twelve Imams. Twelver
ShiaShia are also known as Imami or Ja'fari, originated from the name of
the 6th Imam, Ja'far al-Sadiq, who elaborated the twelver
jurisprudence.[147]
TwelversTwelvers constitute the majority of the population in Iran (90%),[148]
Azerbaijan (85%),[16][149] Bahrain (70%),
IraqIraq (65%), Lebanon (65% of
Muslims).[150][151][152]
Doctrine[edit]

Names of all 12 Imams (descendants of
ImamImam Ali) written in the form of
Arabic name على 'Ali'

TwelverTwelver doctrine is based on five principles.[153] These five
principles known as Usul ad-Din are as follow:[154][155]

Monotheism,
GodGod is one and unique.
Justice, the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, fairness, and
equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics.
Prophethood, the institution by which
GodGod sends emissaries, or
prophets, to guide mankind.
Leadership, a divine institution which succeeded the institution of
Prophethood. Its appointees (imams) are divinely appointed.
Last Judgment, God's final assessment of humanity.

More specifically, these principles are known as Usul al-Madhhab
(principles of the
ShiaShia sect) according to
TwelverTwelver Shias which differ
from Daruriyat al-Din (Necessities of Religion) which are principles
in order for one to be a Muslim. The Necessities of
ReligionReligion do not
include Leadership (Imamah) as it is not a requirement in order for
one to be recognized as a Muslim. However, this category, according to
TwelverTwelver scholars like
AyatollahAyatollah al-Khoei, does include belief in God,
Prophethood, the Day of Resurrection and other "necessities" (like
belief in angels). In this regard,
TwelverTwelver Shias draw a distinction in
terms of believing in the main principles of
IslamIslam on the one hand,
and specifically
ShiaShia doctrines like
ImamahImamah on the other.
Books[edit]
Besides the
QuranQuran which is common to all Muslims, the Shiah derive
guidance from books of traditions ("ḥadīth") attributed to Muhammad
and the Twelve Imams. Below is a list of some of the most prominent of
these books:

The Twelve Imams[edit]
See also: The
Twelve ImamsTwelve Imams and
SunniSunni reports about there being 12
successors to the Prophet
The
Twelve ImamsTwelve Imams are the spiritual and political successors to
MuhammadMuhammad for the Twelvers.[citation needed] According to the theology
of Twelvers, the successor of
MuhammadMuhammad is an infallible human
individual who not only rules over the community with justice but also
is able to keep and interpret the divine law and its esoteric meaning.
The words and deeds of
MuhammadMuhammad and the imams are a guide and model
for the community to follow; as a result, they must be free from error
and sin, and Imams must be chosen by divine decree, or nass, through
Muhammad.[52][53] Each imam was the son of the previous imam, with the
exception of Hussein ibn Ali, who was the brother of Hasan ibn
Ali.[citation needed] The twelfth and final imam is
MuhammadMuhammad al-Mahdi,
who is believed by the
TwelversTwelvers to be currently alive and in
occultation.[56]
Jurisprudence[edit]
Main article: Ja'fari jurisprudence
See also:
ShiaShia clergy
The
TwelverTwelver jurisprudence is called Ja'fari jurisprudence. In this
jurisprudence
SunnahSunnah is considered to be the oral traditions of
MuhammadMuhammad and their implementation and interpretation by the twelve
Imams. There are three schools of Ja'fari jurisprudence: Usuli,
Akhbari, and Shaykhi. The
UsuliUsuli school is by far the largest of the
three.
TwelverTwelver groups that do not follow
Ja'fari jurisprudenceJa'fari jurisprudence include
Alevi, Bektashi, and Qizilbash.
In Ja'fari jurisprudence, there are ten ancillary pillars, known as
Furu' ad-Din, which are as follows:[157]

According to Twelvers, defining and interpretation of Islamic
jurisprudence is the responsibility of
MuhammadMuhammad and the twelve Imams.
As the 12th
ImamImam is in occultation, it is the duty of clerics to refer
to the
Islamic literatureIslamic literature such as the
QuranQuran and hadith and identify
legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law to provide means to
deal with current issues from an Islamic perspective. In other words,
TwelverTwelver clerics provide Guardianship of the Islamic Jurisprudence,
which was defined by
MuhammadMuhammad and his twelve successors. This process
is known as Ijtihad and the clerics are known as Marja', meaning
reference. The labels
Allamah and
AyatollahAyatollah are in use for Twelver
clerics.
Zaidi ("Fiver")[edit]
Main article: Zaidiyyah
Zaidiyya, Zaidism or Zaydi is a
ShiaShia school named after Zayd ibn Ali.
Followers of the Zaidi fiqh are called Zaidis (or occasionally
Fivers). However, there is also a group called Zaidi Wasītīs who are
TwelversTwelvers (see below). Zaidis constitute roughly 42–47% of the
population of Yemen.[158][159]
Doctrine[edit]
The Zaydis, Twelvers, and Ismailis all recognize the same first four
Imams; however, the Zaidis recognize Zayd ibn
AliAli as the fifth. After
the time of Zayd ibn Ali, the Zaidis recognized that any descendant of
Hasan ibn AliHasan ibn Ali or Hussein ibn
AliAli could be imam after fulfilling
certain conditions.[160] Other well-known Zaidi Imams in history were
Yahya ibn Zayd,
MuhammadMuhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya and Ibrahim ibn Abdullah.
In matters of Islamic jurisprudence, the
ZaydisZaydis follow Zayd ibn Ali's
teachings which are documented in his book Majmu'l
FiqhFiqh (in Arabic:
مجموع الفِقه). Al-Hadi ila'l-Haqq Yahya, founder of the
Zaydi state in Yemen, instituted elements of the jurisprudential
tradition of the
SunniSunniMuslimMuslim jurist Abū Ḥanīfa, and as a result,
Zaydi jurisprudence today continues somewhat parallel to that of the
Hanafis.
The Zaidi doctrine of
ImamahImamah does not presuppose the infallibility of
the imam nor that the Imams receive divine guidance. Zaidis also do
not believe that the
ImamateImamate must pass from father to son but believe
it can be held by any
SayyidSayyid descended from either
Hasan ibn AliHasan ibn Ali or
Hussein ibn
AliAli (as was the case after the death of Hasan ibn Ali).
Historically, Zaidis held that Zayd was the rightful successor of the
4th imam since he led a rebellion against the Umayyads in protest of
their tyranny and corruption.
MuhammadMuhammad al-Baqir did not engage in
political action, and the followers of Zayd believed that a true imam
must fight against corrupt rulers.
Timeline[edit]
The Idrisids (Arabic: الأدارسة‎) were Arab[161] Zaydi
Shia[162][163][164][165][166][167] dynasty in the western Maghreb
ruling from 788 to 985 C.E., named after its first sultan, Idris I.
A Zaydi state was established in Gilan,
DeylamanDeylaman and Tabaristan
(northern Iran) in 864 C.E. by the Alavids;[168] it lasted until the
death of its leader at the hand of the
SamanidsSamanids in 928 C.E. Roughly
forty years later the state was revived in Gilan and survived under
Hasanid leaders until 1126 C.E. Afterwards, from the 12th to 13th
centuries, the
ZaydisZaydis of Deylaman, Gilan and
TabaristanTabaristan then
acknowledged the Zaydi
Imams of YemenImams of Yemen or rival Zaydi Imams within
Iran.[169]
The Buyids were initially Zaidi[170] as were the
Banu UkhaidhirBanu Ukhaidhir rulers
of al-Yamama in the 9th and 10th centuries.[171] The leader of the
Zaydi community took the title of Caliph. As such, the ruler of Yemen
was known as the Caliph, al-Hadi Yahya bin al-Hussain bin al-Qasim
ar-Rassi
RassidsRassids (a descendant of
Hasan ibn AliHasan ibn Ali the son of Ali) who,
at Sa'dah, in 893–7 CE, founded the Zaydi Imamate, and this system
continued until the middle of the 20th century, when the revolution of
1962 CE deposed the Zaydi Imam. The founding Zaidism of Yemen was of
the Jarudiyya group; however, with increasing interaction with Hanafi
and
Shafi'iShafi'i rites of
SunniSunni Islam, there was a shift from the Jarudiyya
group to the Sulaimaniyya, Tabiriyya, Butriyya or Salihiyya
groups.[172] Zaidis form the second dominant religious group in Yemen.
Currently, they constitute about 40–45% of the population in Yemen.
Ja'faris and Isma'ilis are 2–5%.[173] In Saudi Arabia, it is
estimated that there are over 1 million
ZaydisZaydis (primarily in the
western provinces).
Currently the most prominent Zaydi movement is
HouthisHouthis movement, known
by the name of Shabab Al Mu'mineen (Believing Youth) or AnsarAllah
(Partisans of God). In 2014–2015
HouthisHouthis took over the government in
Sana'a, which led to the fall of the Saudi Arabian-backed government
of Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.[174]
HouthisHouthis and their allies gained
control of a significant part of Yemen's territory and were resisting
the
Saudi Arabian-led intervention in YemenSaudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen seeking to restore Hadi in
power. Both the
HouthisHouthis and the Saudi Arabian-led coalition were being
attacked by the Islamic State of
IraqIraq and the Levant.[175][176]
Ismaili[edit]
Main article: Isma'ilism
Ismailis gain their name from their acceptance of Isma'il ibn Jafar as
the divinely appointed spiritual successor (Imam) to Ja'far al-Sadiq,
wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept Musa al-Kadhim,
younger brother of Isma'il, as the true Imam.
After the death or Occultation of
MuhammadMuhammad ibn Ismaill in the 8th
century, the teachings of
IsmailismIsmailism further transformed into the
belief system as it is known today, with an explicit concentration on
the deeper, esoteric meaning (bāṭin) of the faith. With the
eventual development of Twelverism into the more literalistic (zahir)
oriented
AkhbariAkhbari and later
UsuliUsuli schools of thought, Shiaism developed
in two separate directions: the metaphorical Ismailli group focusing
on the mystical path and nature of
GodGod and the divine manifestation in
the personage of the "
ImamImam of the Time" as the "Face of God", with the
more literalistic
TwelverTwelver group focusing on divine law (sharī'ah) and
the deeds and sayings (sunnah) of
MuhammadMuhammad and his successors (the
Ahlu l-Bayt), who as A'immah were guides and a light to God.[177]
Though there are several sub-groupings within the Ismailis, the term
in today's vernacular generally refers to The
ShiaShia Imami Ismaili
MuslimMuslim (
NizariNizari community), generally known as the Ismailis, who are
followers of the
Aga KhanAga Khan and the largest group among the Ismailiyyah.
Another community which falls under the Isma'il's are the Dawoodi
Bohras, led by a
Da'i al-MutlaqDa'i al-Mutlaq as representative of a hidden imam.
While there are many other branches with extremely differing exterior
practices, much of the spiritual theology has remained the same since
the days of the faith's early Imams. In recent centuries Ismailis have
largely been an Indo-Iranian community,[178] but they are found in
India, Pakistan, Syria, Palestine, Saudi Arabia,[179] Yemen,
China,[180] Jordan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, East Africa
and South Africa, and have in recent years emigrated to Europe,
Australia, New Zealand, and North America.[181]
IsmailiIsmaili imams[edit]
Main article: List of
IsmailiIsmaili imams
After the death of Isma'il ibn Jafar, many Ismailis believed that one
day the messianic Mahdi, whom they believed to be
MuhammadMuhammad ibn Ismail,
would return and establish an age of justice. One group included the
violent Qarmatians, who had a stronghold in Bahrain. In contrast, some
Ismailis believed the
ImamateImamate did continue, and that the Imams were in
occultation and still communicated and taught their followers through
a network of dawah "Missionaries".
In 909, Ubayd Allah al-
MahdiMahdi Billah, a claimant to the Ismaili
Imamate, established the
FatimidFatimid Caliphate. During this period, three
lineages of imams formed. The first branch, known today as the Druze,
began with Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. Born in 386 AH (985), he ascended as
ruler at the age of eleven. The typical religiously tolerant Fatimid
Empire saw much persecution under his reign. When in 411 AH (1021) his
mule returned without him, soaked in blood, a religious group that was
forming in his lifetime broke off from mainstream
IsmailismIsmailism and did
not acknowledge his successor. Later to be known as the Druze, they
believe al-Hakim to be the incarnation of
GodGod and the prophesied Mahdi
who would one day return and bring justice to the world.[182] The
faith further split from
IsmailismIsmailism as it developed very unusual
doctrines which often class it separately from both Ismailiyyah and
Islam.
The second split occurred following the death of Ma'ad al-Mustansir
Billah in 487 AH (1094). His rule was the longest of any caliph in any
Islamic empire. Upon his passing away, his sons, Nizar the older, and
Al-Musta'li, the younger, fought for political and spiritual control
of the dynasty. Nizar was defeated and jailed, but according to Nizari
tradition, his son escaped to Alamut, where the Iranian
IsmailiIsmaili had
accepted his claim.[183] From here on, the
NizariNizariIsmailiIsmaili community
has continued with a present, living Imam.
The
MustaaliMustaali line split again between the
TaiyabiTaiyabi (
Dawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra is
its main branch) and the Hafizi. The former claim that At-Tayyib Abi
l-Qasim (son of Al-Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah) and the imams following him
went into a period of anonymity (Dawr-e-Satr) and appointed a Da'i
al-Mutlaq to guide the community, in a similar manner as the Ismaili
had lived after the death of
MuhammadMuhammad ibn Ismail. The latter (Hafizi)
claimed that the ruling
FatimidFatimidCaliphCaliph was the Imam, and they died out
with the fall of the
FatimidFatimid Empire.
Pillars[edit]
Ismailis have categorized their practices which are known as seven
pillars:

The
ShahadaShahada (profession of faith) of the
ShiaShia differs from that of
Sunnis due to mention of Ali.[184]
Contemporary leadership[edit]
The Nizaris place importance on a scholarly institution because of the
existence of a present Imam. The
ImamImam of the Age defines the
jurisprudence, and his guidance may differ with Imams previous to him
because of different times and circumstances. For
NizariNizari Ismailis, the
ImamImam is Karim al-Husayni
Aga KhanAga Khan IV. The
NizariNizari line of Imams has
continued to this day as an unending line.
Divine leadership has continued in the Bohra branch through the
institution of the "Unrestricted Missionary" Dai. According to Bohra
tradition, before the last Imam, At-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim, went into
seclusion, his father, the 20th Al-Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah, had
instructed
Al-Hurra Al-MalikaAl-Hurra Al-Malika the Malika (Queen consort) in Yemen to
appoint a vicegerent after the seclusion – the Unrestricted
Missionary, who as the Imam's vicegerent has full authority to govern
the community in all matters both spiritual and temporal while the
lineage of Mustaali-Tayyibi Imams remains in seclusion (Dawr-e-Satr).
The three branches of the Mustaali, the Alavi Bohra, Sulaimani Bohra
and Dawoodi Bohra, differ on who the current Unrestricted Missionary
is.
Other doctrines[edit]
Doctrine about necessity of acquiring knowledge[edit]
According to Allameh Muzaffar, Allah gives humans the faculty of
reason and argument. Also, Allah orders humans to spend time thinking
carefully on creation while he refers to all creations as his signs of
power and glory. These signs encompass all of the universe.
Furthermore, there is a similarity between humans as the little world
and the universe as the large world. Allah does not accept the faith
of those who follow him without thinking and only with imitation, but
also Allah blames them for such actions. In other words, humans have
to think about the universe with reason and intellect, a faculty
bestowed on us by Allah. Since there is more insistence on the faculty
of intellect among Shia, even evaluating the claims of someone who
claims prophecy is on the basis of intellect.[185][186]
Doctrine concerning Du'a[edit]
Praying or Du’a in
ShiaShia has an important place as
MuhammadMuhammad described
it as a weapon of the believer. In fact, Du’a considered as
something that is a feature of
ShiaShia community in a sense. Performing
Du’a in
ShiaShia has a special ritual. Because of this, there are many
books written on the conditions of praying among Shia. Most of
ad’ayieh transferred from Muhammad's household and then by many
books in which we can observe the authentic teachings of
MuhammadMuhammad and
his household according to Shia. The leaderships of
ShiaShia always
invited their followers to recite Du’a. For instance,
AliAli has
considered with the subject of Du’a because of his leadership in
monotheism.[187][188]
See also[edit]